In Australia, they started vaccinating girls/women against HPV in 2007.

In 2007, 11.5% of women under 21 (age-range most likely to get the vaccine before they were sexually active) were diagnosed with genital warts.

0.85% in 2011.

0% in women under 21 who got the HPV vaccines.

0%.

For women 21-30 (only maybe got the vaccine, and even if they did, maybe after they were sexually active), it went from 11.3% to 3.1%.

For women over 30, there was no drop.

In other words, the data suggests you need to get girls the HPV vaccine before they are sexually active, and then the vaccine does its job protecting them from the vax HPVs.

Whats more– Men were protected from HPV when the women got the HPV vaccine. Incidence in men dropped from 12.1% to 2.2%, and 18.2% to 8.9% in those same age ranges. None in the men over 30.

NO WAY!

Give the vaccine to girls before they are sexually active?

Vaccines protect everyone?

Why, thats what those evil scientists have been saying from the very beginning! And a blatant, obvious example of herd immunity in action! Its as if the scientists… actually understand the science of vaccinations…

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Now suppose we also vaccinate the boys. Aside from even more protection for unvaccinated girls and women, some of the boys will be gay and, when they become sexually active, may be exposed to HPV by other males.

I actually have fond memories of getting that vaccine as it was a cold day and I was feeling nice and warm from the slight temperature gardasil gave me…should remember to say that to the next antivaxer I meet.

Seriously though, those are fantastic results. With cirvical cancer being so hard to detect, this is going to save a lot of lives.

The problem with HPV vaccine for boys in the lack of direct negative effects of HPV on boys. So vaccination of boys to reduce cancer in girls, while desirable from a societal point, is an ethically iffy preposition, especially if it’s made part of a mandatory set for school etc.

Isn’t there already a precedent for vaccinating one group of people to protect another group? Rubella is a pretty mild disease for most people, but it can cause devastating effects in a fetus. We vaccinate girls against rubella to protect their future children, and we vaccinate the boys to protect other people’s future children.

Well scientists may not understand the science of vaccinations but they did play an important role in preventing the rising instances of HPV. And when girls were injected with it, it also benefited boys then why we should be complaining?

I know it’s very late to comment, but here’s a article (that points to the real paper, which in turn has good references) about cancer incidence and mortality, with a special section on HPV: http://www.cancer.gov/newscenter/newsfromnci/2013/ReportNation
Head and Neck cancers are increasing, mostly thanks to HPV-16, and it is mostly men. You run risks when you perform certain friendly acts with your mouth, and not just on men. Our young people, of any sex, should get the jab before touching other people’s tingly parts.